THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 133 
Argi arindnaPor, 7 pusas, Diosc. lib. iv. cap. 12, where 
it is mentioned that its red, smooth, round berry enclosed 
in bladder-like leaves was interwoven in chaplets, à x«i i 
orepuvorhóxo yorar nararhenovres Tog arepdvoug. Named xegaootDum, 
by the modern Beeotians.—Sibth. 
92. Lycium Europeum.—European Box-Thorn.— 71. 
Gree. vol. iii. tab. 236. 
'"Pápwo. Diosc. lib. i. cap. 120, and Theoph. lib. iii. cap. 
17, ¿áuvos in Grec. hodiurn. secund. Sibth. The word éévor 
occurs, Theocritus, Idyl. iv. v. 51. 
Observed in hedges, but more abundantly in the South of 
the Island. 
93. Solanum Sodomseum.— Black-spined Nightshade, or 
Apple of Sodom.—7. Græc. vol. iii. tab. 235. 
It is the tempting and deceitful fruit of this plant, which 
grows abundantly, according to travellers, on the shores of 
that well known lake of Avernus the Dead Sea,— which, 
as soon as bitten, becomes dry dust-likeashes. The berry 
or apple, is large, smooth, shining, and not unlike a golden 
Pippin; the Sicilians name it, H pomu d'oru; a small 
insect frequently punctures it, and converts the inside into 
powder, leaving the skin whole, and of its original colour. 
From this arose the story of the delusive apple, 
which grew 
Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flamed. 
(See Milton Par. Lost. x. v. 561.) —' Tacitus in the 5th book, 
Hist. cap. 7, relates the same thing; “cuncta sponté edita 
aut mani sata, sive herb’ tenus aut flore, seu solitam in 
Speciem adolevere, atra et inania velut in cinerem vanescunt." 
Josephus likewise speaks of the fruit in the following words, 
xh ro% nuprois omodicey  AyovysvvuMus vm», Či xgóuv pev xus! Toç 
Bodoc Gola, doeLoapeévow 0 X8goiv, èis xam àsahuowrai xa] TíQouw, 
— Bell. Jud. lib. v. cap. 5. — Consult also Wisdom. cap. x. v. T 
and Tertuliani Apol. cap. 40. The description of the berry 
in the Flora Grzca is so good, that I have here transcribed 
It:—Bacca depresso-globosa, diametro unciali vel sesqui- 
